Ship-propulsion system.



O. A. PARSONS. SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM. nrmsnwr Yfiffi? an. n. 190?.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

0 SHRINK-11331 1.

G. A. PARSONS. SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION rum) APR. 20. 1907.

902,996. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MOQQ'M W W y m, 9 I.

G. A. PARSONS.

SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOI mum un. 29. 1901.

902,996. 4 Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

G. A. PARSONS. SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM. nruorrmn nun 11.29. 1901.

902,996. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

6 SHEETSTSHEET 4.

O. A. PARSONS. SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APB. 29. 1907.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Fig.5.

um rLLC PI OM w a m CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE,ENGLAND.

SKIP-PROPULSION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application mm a rn T29, 1907.

Patented Nov a, 1908.

Serial No. 870,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, the Honorable Onannns ALGERNON Pansons, a subject ofthe Kirliig of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at aton Works,Newcastle-upon-Tyne, form of multiple helica eating with e ualin thecounty of'Northumberland, Englland, ized tensions. Fig. 11 s ows a form0 the have invented certain new and usefu Iminvention in which theturbine is divided into provements in and Relating to Ship-Propultwoparts arranged in series as regards the sion Systems, of which thefollowingis aspeciexhaust steam, Fi 12 being similar but with fication.the individual tur ines arranged in parallel;

This-invention relates to the propulsion of Fig. 13 shows a form ofspring drive in which moderate and slow speed vessels with single, therequired resilience is obtained from the twin or more screws. Suchvessels are at torsion of a hollow shaft; Fi 14 shows a presentuniversally driven by reciprocating form of balanced single helicaearing with engines and the ob'ect of the present invenspring drivenpinions, while fine ly, F1 s. 15 tion is to increase t e efficiency ofpropulsion and 16 show forms of laminated gear-w eels. by utilizing theenergy in the exhaust steam The same reference symbols where desiron itswe to the condenser in a satisfactory able are used to denotecorresponding parts manner y means of turbines so as adein the differentdrawings, which are to a quately to assist the reci rocating engines.large extent of a diagrammatic nature.

The problem indicated a bove is of particu- In carrying the inventioninto effect aclar importance in the case of the ordinary cording to oneform as applied by way of ex tramp steamer and is then, moreover, ofparample to an ordinary tramp steamer, (see ticular difliculty onaccount of the unsuit- Figs. 1 and 2) reciprocating engines, a, oability of turbines as at present known for the type now usual runningat from 60 to 80 the direct drive of such slow speed vessels.revolutions per minute drive the propeller The invention consists inemgloyin one or shaft, 11, and I provide a high speed turbine, moreturbines running at re ative y high 0, (or more than one if desired)receiving exspeeds and working with the exhaust steam haust steam fromthe main engines by way from the reciprocating engines, the high of theexhaust pipe, d, and discharging into a s eed turbine and the low speedpropel er suitable condenser, e. I then mount on the s aft or shaftsbeing d namically connected turbine shaft a high speed electricgenerator, in a manner enabling 0th turbines and ref, and lead thecurrent generated thereby to a ciprocatin en ines to work at speedscomlow speed and referably multipolar electric patible wit a ighefficiency. motor, h, with its rotor mounted on the ro- The inventionconsists more specifically in peller shaft, 1). The energy extracted roma ship propulsion system of the type indithe main engine exhaust by theturbine is cated in the precedin paragraph having the thus transmittedelectrically to assist in drivfollowing preferred orms of transmission:ing the propeller shaft. 1 may conveniently (a) electric transmission bymeans of a hi h arrange an exhaust pipe, 1', direct from the speeddynamo and a low speed motor; main engines to the condenser, e, so thatthe special worm gearing; (0) multiple chain turbine can be by-passedand thus put out of gearin with equalized tensions and, (d) action whenthe main engines are reversed or multi e helical gear with equalizedtensions. whenever desirable.

Re erring to the accompanying drawings In consequence of the uneventurning mo- 1 which illustrate my invention an form part ment of thereciprocating engines, in some of the specification, Figures 1 and 2show and cases special precautions may ve to be view and planrespectively of one form of the taken to insure satisfactory working. Ininvention in which electric transmission of such a case the motor orgenerator or both,

ower between the high and low 9 eed shafts may be so designed that smallvariationsof 1 5 18 ado ted; Figs. 3 and 4 are simi er views of speedgive little variation of power; for ma modified form of the inventionemploying stance, they may be designed with very fallwormgearing, whileFigs. 5 and 6 are similar ing characteristics, and in the case 'of aninviews showingl the application of multi, 1e duction motor the slip maybe considerable. chain gear wit Fig. 7 e- Also suitable switches,resistances, capacities 1 10 equalized tensions,

ing a side view to an enlarged scale, and Fig. 8 a corresponding crosssection on the line 8-8 of one of the chain wheels; Figs. 9 and 10 showand view and lan respectively of a and so forth may be used as requiredinconjunction with the generator and motor, and these may if preferred,be regulated automatically by a overnor or by the steam pressure in thecy inders of the reciprocating engines or by the position of the cranks,so as to give an even or an approximately even loa on the electricgearing. It will readily be seen that either continuous or alternatingcurrent may be adopted.

According to a modification of the invention in which I use wormtransmission gear (see Fi s. 3 and 4) I mount a suitable wormwheel, i,loosely on the main engine shaft or preferably on an extension thereofand I arrange a suitable hydraulic or other clutch, m, so that I mayreadily connect or disconnect the worm-wheel and main shaft. The worm,n, gears preferably with the upper art of the worm-wheel, k, and Iarrange orizontally the transverse worm-shaft on which the turbine, c,is mounted, so that all the running parts that require attention may bereadil accessible from the engine-room floor. W hen reversing theturbine may be disconnected from the main shaft by means of the clutch,m, above mentioned; the clutch may also be taken out to avoiddifficulties introduced by racing in a heavy sea.

According to another modification, (see gs. 5 and 6) I may employ amultiple chain transmission from the high speed to the low speed shafts.In the example shown, two turbines c, c are adopted and the chains arearrange in three groups 0, and on the port side counterbalancing, on t estarboard, each on consisting 0 any suitable number 0 individual chains.Some or all of the chain wheels, r, are connected to their respectiveshafts through spring drives in such a way that the tension is equalizedbetween the various groups. A side view and section of one form of suchchain wheels are shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 7 and 8. The innerand outer parts of the wheels and t, respectively are mounted after themanner of t e ordinary eccentric pulley and strap, so as to be capableof relative angular motion. Both parts are preferably made in halves,which in the case of the inner part may be united by bolts 11. and inthe case of the outer part by studs and nuts, '0. The inner art carriesa series of lugs or brackets, w, a ternating and having an operativepart in line with similar lugs or brackets, :0, carried by the outerpart and between ad'acent lu suitable springs, z, are arrange preferabyin compression.

The wheel described inthe preceding. paraaph with reference to Figs. 7and 8 is own provided with teeth 2, for two chains but any othersuitable num r of c i may be, provided for. Again in some cases (seeFigs. 9 and 10) I may use multiple hehcal gearing, 3, 3, preferably ofthe chevrontooth tips and render such gearing practicable w en there isone exhaust turbine, by s ring drives (such for example, as those a ovedescribed) either on the pinions or the driven wheels or if the turbineis divided into several elements, such as 4, 5 whether in series asregards the steam as shown in Fig. 11 or in parallel as shown in Fig.12, there may be several corresponding pinions, 6, 7, driving on to onew eel, 8, or there may be a separate pinion and wheel for each turbinethe main end in view being the reduction of the power transmittedthrough say one gear and an equalization of the power transmitted amonthe individual gears. In any of the gears may use a spring drivecommodate any irregularities in the teeth or centerin of the pinions andwheels or to prevent-rac 'ng stresses due to the uneven turning velocityof the main engines; .for mechanical reasons, I generall prefer to placethis spring drive between t e pinion and its shaft, though I sometimesplace it 'on the main shaft, or I may combine both arrangements.

Accordin to another form the torsional deflection ofshafts may beemployed. Thus referring to Fig. 13, the shaft, 9, from or to whichpower is to be transmitted, is surrounde by a hollow shaft or sleeve,10, keyed at one end to the shaft, 9, and carrying at the other the earwheel, 11, the length of this sleeve, 10, heing sufficient to give therequired resilience or a helical groove, 12, for example may be cut init.

When helical gearing of the single type such as is shown in Fig. 14' isused, it is preferable to have an even number of pmion wheels, 13, halfof which are right handed and half lefthanded,,so that the main shaft,5, is not subjected to an extra end thrust. In such an arrangement t epinions, 13, may be restrained to rotate with their shaft, 14, bysuitable feathers their endwise sliding being controlledby springs suchas 15, butting against the collars, 1 In some cases I cut the pinions orwheels on blanks, 11, (see Fig. 15) composed of sheets of metal or othersuitable material, the thickness of such disks or rings depending on the(pitch and helical angle of the teeth and the esired elasticity. In thisconstruction the elasticity in angular displacement being secured by thedeflection of the disks in a direction normal to their planes, the disksor maybe clamped close} together by the siiie plates, 18, for exam evidiial freedom by int'e osed washers of smaller diameter. Accoi ing toa modification of this form of wheel, (see Fig. 16) the individual disks, 19, ma be set at an angle as shown, in which case he clamping lates,20, should be made we haped; t has the advant e of equalizing the wearon the driven whe I.

in order to acut I prefer to allow the same indiceases Instead oftheplates-beingfiati as shown,

they may be dished, cu ped, corrugated,

ridged or shaped in any ot er desired way to we flexibility and alsoualize wear.

I often refer to place t e gear at one or more of the nodal points onthe shaft or shafts between the reciprocatin engines and the propellerso that torsiona vibrations, whet er synchronous or otherwise, will notaffect the gear.

I may adapt any ofthe hereinbefore described arran ements, modifiedwhere desirable, to .vesse s having more than one screw and in such acase I may sometimes gear an exhaust turbine to the shaft of a set ofengines other than that from which the particular turbine receivedsteam.

I also wish it to be understood that although with a view to reduoin thenumber and complexity of the figures, have shown the series and parallelarrangements of duplicate turbines in connection with helical gearingonly and spring drives in connection with certain forms of gearing only,I may nevertheless adopt any other combination of such elements whenpracticable and desirable without exceedin the scope of my invention,thus for instance% may provide the worm or worm-wheel or both with aspring drive or they may be made with elastic plates as above described.

I find that by the addition of a high speed i exhaust turbine arrangedin one of the ways hereinbefore described to assist the main enine-s,the practical difficulties hitherto hindering the application of theturbine to slow speed vessels are overcome and I am able to increase thepower efficiency of the vessel by about 20 per cent.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A ship propulsion system comprising incombination a propeller shaft, reciprocating engine means connected tosaid propeller shaft, a separate shaft, turbine means on said separateshaft and receiving working fluid from said reciprocating engine meanstogether with means for transmitting ower from said separate turbineshaft to sai propeller shaft.

2. A ship propulsion system comprising, in combination, reciprocatingengine means and a turbine means; a ropeller and means for transmittingpower rom said reciprocatin engine and said turbine to said propeller,

said transmitting means including a resilient member acting tocompensate for inequalities in the turning moment of said reciproeatingen inc.

3. A s ip propulsion system comprising in combination, propeller means;reciprocating engine means. and turbine means receivin working fluidtherefrom to drive said (prope ler means and means for gearing sairegearing oiprocating engine means and said turbine meansto ether.

4. A s ip propulsion system comprising; in combination propeller andshaft means; reciprocating engine means and turbine means receivingworking fluid therefrom to drive said propeller and shaft means andmeans for gearing said reciprocatin engine means and said turbine meanstoget or, said gearing means being balanced as regards the distributionwithin the gearing of torsional stresses on said shaft means.

5. A ship propulsion system comprising, in combination propeller means;reciprocating engine means and turbine means receiving fluid therefromto drive said propeller means; a plurality of sets of gearing betweensaid reciprocating engine means an said turbine means together withmeans for distributing power transmitted by said turbine means amon saidsets of caring.

6. A ship propu sion system comprising in combination propeller meansreciprocating engine means and turbine means receiving fluid therefromto drive said ropeller means; a plurality of sets of gearing etween saidreciprocating engine means and said turbine means together w'th meansfor equalizing the power transmitted by said sets of gearing.

7. A ship propulsion system comprising, in combination, propeller meansreciprocating engine means and turbine means receivin" working fluidtherefrom to drive said prope ler and helical spur gearing connectinsaid reciprocating engine means and sai turbine means together.

8. A shippropulsion system comprising, in combination, a propeller;reciprocating engine means and turbine means to drive said propeller andmeans for gearing said reeiprocating engine and said turbine meanstogether.

9. A ship propulsion system comprising in combination, propeller andshaft means; reciproca'ting engine means to drive said propeller andshaft means and and turbine means means and said turbine means toget ersaid gearing means being balanced as regards the distribution within thegearing of torsional stresses on said shaft means.

10. A ship propulsion system comprising, in combination propeller means;reciprocating engine means and turbine means to drive said proppllermeans; a plurality of setsof gearing etween said reciprocatm enginemeans and said turbine means toget er with means for distributing powertransmitted by said turbine means among saidisets of gearing.

11. A-ship propulsion system comprising, in combination propeller means;reciprocating engine means and turbine means to drive sa1d prop)ellermeans; a plurality of sets of means and said turbine means together withmeans for equalizingthe power transmitted by saidsets of gearing.

12. In a ship pro ulsion system, the combination of 'a prope er meansfor transmitting power thereto, said means including a pro eller shaftand gearing mounted thereon an dis osed at about a nodal point thereof.

13. 1f ship propulsion system comprising, in combination, a propeller;and means for driving the same, said means including reciprocatingengine means adapted to runat a certain speed and turbine means adaptedto run at another speed.

14. A ship propulsion system comprising, 15 in combination a propeller;and means for driving the same said means including reciprocating en inemeans running at a certam s eed suits. 1e for the economical working tereof and turbine means running at a 20 her speed suitable for theeconomical working thereof,

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS.

Witnesses: HENRY GRAHAM DAKYNS, Jr.. WILLIAM MnNzms JOHNSTON.

